


press play, rewind

by emrys (livingshitpost)



Series: this shield doesn't belong to me [2]
Category: Captain America (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, Bucky Barnes as Captain America, But they don't know that, Canonical Character Death, Gen, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Military Background, Not Beta Read, Not Canon Compliant, Not Really Character Death, One Shot, Past Character Death, Past Relationship(s), Role Reversal, Roleswap, Short, Steve Rogers as the Winter Soldier, can be read as stucky or steggy or both, why's titling thins so hard :?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-12
Updated: 2018-09-12
Packaged: 2019-07-11 12:41:22
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15972521
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/livingshitpost/pseuds/emrys
Summary: James Barnes visits Margaret Carter nearly seventy years after his "death".





	press play, rewind

"You oughta be proud of yourself, Pegs."

"Mmm, I have lived a life. My only regret is that you and Steve didn't get to live yours."

I smiled slightly. "Yeah, well." I swallowed. Sniffled. The smile fell.

"What is it?"

"Stevie always wanted to do the right thing, y'know?" I sighed through my nose. "I wanna do the same -y'know, make him proud- but I dunno if I know what the right thing is these days. I tried just throwing myself back in. Following orders, serving the cause." I smiled again, this time a bit sad. "'t's just not the same without him."

"Well, he'd certainly be proud of that dramatic little speech," Peggy laughed, and I grinned because she was right. 

"Look," she said, "You saved the world. Both of you. We rather . . . mucked it up."

"I'm sure  _you_ didn't. You're one of the most impressive people I've ever known. And knowing that Steve's old -sorry, former- girlfriend helped form SHIELD is half the reason I stay."

She sighed. "The world has changed, James. None of us can go back. All we can do is our best, and sometimes the best that we can do," she coughed, "is to start over-"

I stood for a second and grabbed her a glass of water. She turned it down, but I still held it in my hand.

She sank into the pillows slightly. "James . . ." 

"Yeah?"

"I'm so sorry."

My stomach turned.

"I'm sorry, I know how close the two of you were-"

"Hey, it's not- it's not your fault, Pegs."

"I know he meant so much to you-"

"You don't gotta apologize, Peggy. It's okay. I- I miss him too." I smiled at her, trying to ignore the tears blurring my vision, and squeezed her hand. "But you know he loved you."

"He did."

"Yeah, he really did. Kept a picture of you in his compass and everything."

"I'm so sorry."

"'t's not your fault."


End file.
